Harry Potter and the Most Feared
by Emma06
Summary: The BoyWhoLived faces his last year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The War is getting worse as more people die. In order to survive, Harry must destroy the Dark Lord, whom is the Most Feared. ActionRomance HHr, RL Warnings: HBP spoiler
1. Ch 1 The Last Stay

Summery: The Boy-Who-Lived faces his last year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The War is getting worse as more people die. In order to survive, Harry must destroy the Dark Lord, whom is the Most Feared. _Action/Romance_ (H/Hr, R/L) Warnings: Spoiler books 1-6 PG-13 for violence

AN: This is my first fan fiction. I decided to write it after the disappointment from the sixth book. I'm trying to write in JKR's style and try to make it as believable as possible. I don't in any way, own rights to any of the characters/names. This story is in relation to JK Rowling's work, and I don't take any credit for it, for if I did own it, book six would have been very different. These are my ideas for what should happen in the next book. Please read and review!

The Last Stay

It was finally over, and he was alone. The funeral ended, and Harry Potter was finally going back to the Dursleys. With great difficulty, he boarded the Hogwarts Express with his fellow classmates. Harry chose an empty compartment, and locked himself in.

"Cierra foris prince," he said aloud. It was a spell Flitwick had taught them that enabled doors to lock for a short period. The only way to get in would be with the password. In this case the password was 'prince', a word that kept circling his mind.

He took a seat by the window as he meditated on the different thoughts that were pouring into his mind. The corridors of the train were unusually quiet, for there was no reason to be celebrating the end of this term. He clasped what remained of Dumbledore's last mission, a very old locket. Hot tears started to burn his eyes as the thought of not seeing Dumbledore came back to his mind. He was alone now. There was no one to help him in times of danger. The one person that could teach him how to survive was erased from his life. Harry became lost in his thoughts and did not become aware of the pounding behind his compartment door. Perhaps it was that he did not want to talk to anyone, or that he did not want to see anyone. It was hard for him to look at someone he loved, and not see them dying because of him. After all, that is how everyone else had died: because of him. He, Harry Potter, was the reason everyone was dying.

Rain started to fall as the Hogwarts Express left the station. Harry took one last look at the surrounding hills and closed his eyes in hopes of getting some rest before their arrival at King's Cross. He plummeted into a deep sleep. Suddenly, he was at a hillside overlooking a river. The large trees made shadows onto a large group of people circled around what seemed to be a grave. He cautiously approached the group of people with an eerie feeling that no one could hear him coming.

The group of people consisted of familiar faces. Many members of the Order were dispersed among the crowd- standing behind what seemed to be some people kneeled down on the floor. He approached the people and noticed that it was Ron and Hermione crouched down in the front of the group. Ron was silently staring at the grave while tears slid down his cheeks. He was holding Hermione's hand for support, for she was crying and running her fingers across the gravestone. Whose funeral was this? It just occurred to Harry that some other people were not there. Most notably, _he_ was nowhere to be seen. Harry crept closer to the grave until he was on the other side of Hermione. She had now thrown herself on the gravestone and was sobbing uncontrollably. He held out his hand in hopes of being able to grab her and pull her away from whatever was causing her to cry. Clearly, she could not tell he was next to her. It was then when Ron came closer, pulled her up onto her feet, and gave her a hug and a kiss on the top of her head.

"It will all be all right, Hermione. He wouldn't want us to be like this, at least not today," Ron told her. "It's finally over. It'll be okay."

"I know," Hermione responded back, "but I miss him. I didn't even get to tell him…" her voice started to fade away as they slowly moved away from the grave, which revealed the occupant's name. Harry read the grave aloud.

"Here lies a friend and companion. A person who, with courage and love, rid the world from the worst horrors known. Here lies The Boy Who Lived, The Chosen One, Harry James Potter".

Harry couldn't believe what he was reading. This was impossible. He had just been on the train two seconds ago, and now he was dead. Harry looked up to find that everyone was gone. He was by himself at the graveyard. Suddenly, it became darker and colder. He heard something crawling behind him, and he instinctively went to grab for his wand, which to his horror, wasn't there. A hooded figure appeared, coming closer with a wand raised directly at Harry's chest. The hooded person muttered a spell, and with a scream, Harry woke up in an empty train compartment.

His surroundings were blurry, and a blanket was sticking to his sweaty body. While he had slept, someone had come in and had taken off his glasses and had wrapped a blanket around him. He figured that Ginny must have checked on him after he had fallen asleep.

"But that's strange; I thought I had locked the door," he thought to himself. Right then the compartment door slid open. He quickly put on his glasses, and he saw that it was Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. They all looked pale and walked cautiously inside the compartment to take a seat around Harry.

"Are you alright Harry? Is something wrong? We heard you moving about before we came in," said Ginny as she stared into his eyes. He looked away from Ron and Hermione, unable to look them in the eyes.

"I'm fine. I just… almost fell off the seat," he added hastily as concerned looks came to him from all directions.

"We didn't think we would be able to get in. The door was locked when we came aboard the train. I'm surprised you didn't hear me and Ginny banging on the door," Ron explained to him. "We couldn't get it open." Ginny hadn't opened the door. Who could have taken off his glasses, and most importantly, how did the door unlock? Who knew the password?

"Are you sure everything's all right Harry?" Hermione asked him. He looked at her and saw that her eyes were a bit puffy from her crying, and she had a worried look on her face.

"Really, I'm fine" he responded looking away from her gaze again. He found it hard to look at her. The dream had felt so real. Her pain, her crying, felt real. Could it have been a premonition or was it just a nightmare? His eyes began to burn again.

Several minutes passed in silence. Harry noticed that Ron and Hermione kept discreetly glancing at each other. Harry took a glance at Hermione, and she glanced at him. He quickly shifted his glaze and he saw her smile with the corner of his eyes. Ginny stood up and interrupted the moment of silence.

"Well, since everything is fine here, I'm going to go see some of my friends before we arrive at the station. I'll see you in a little while." She crossed the compartment and headed out the door. Once the door closed, another moment of silence came. Ron was the first to speak.

"Does anyone else know about the Horcruxes?" Ron asked Harry.

"No," Harry replied. "Not even Ginny," he added before Ron even had a chance to say anything. "Only us three, and I plan on keeping that way," he added in a more forceful tone than he intended.

"We were trying to find you to see if anyone from the Order has talked to you about what you are to do this summer," said Hermione, clearly wanting to change the topic. Right when Harry was going to answer the door reopened, and Tonks walked in the compartment, sealing the door behind her.

"Wotcher Harry … Ron, Hermione."

"Hi Tonks," Harry responded. She crossed the compartment and took a seat across from Harry and Hermione.

"I've been assigned to tell you what the plan for this summer is. The Order believes that the safest thing to do is stick with Dumbledore's plan. You are to stay with your uncle and aunt until the eve of your birthday. That night the Order will come and take you to a secure location. We do not know if the protection at the Dursley's will continue after your birthday, and that's why we will come for you. Once at that secure location, we will discuss plans. Do you have any questions?" Harry looked at Ron and Hermione who clearly were thinking about different plans.

"No," Harry told her. "Sounds like everything is planned out. I don't have any ques—"

"Tonks?" Hermione interrupted. "Ron and I were wondering if it was possible for us to stay with Harry," she said cautiously.

"I'm afraid not Hermione," Tonks responded. "The Order insisted that the plans stay as set. You will all meet soon enough." With that said, she got up and left the compartment leaving Hermione with a look of disappointment and worry on her face.

"Don't worry Hermione," Harry assured her. "I won't do anything without you." She gave a weak smile and turned her head away, clearly trying to hold back tears.

The arrival at the station came without one drop of rain. The three best friends got out of the train and found themselves surrounded by people rushing to find their families. They finally located Moody, Tonks and Lupin. However, none of the Weasleys or the Grangers were in sight. The group greeted them and quickly moved to a less populated part of the platform.

"Potter," growled Moody. "Tonks told us that you know about the plan for the summer. Your uncle is waiting on the other side of the barrier. I've already talked to him also." Harry smiled at the thought of a terrorized Vernon talking to Moody. "Potter, you are to stay at the house no matter what. Absolutely no wondering off into the streets, not even to Arabella's. I want you to write every day, and report anything that is slightly unusual. Do you understand me, Potter?"

"I think we all understand you, Alastor," Lupin said trying to lighten the mood. "Just take care of yourself, Harry."

"And you all do the same," added Harry. Together they all crossed through the barrier and walked back into the Muggle world.

"There's Dursley," said Moody. "We'll be following closely all summer, Potter. Remember, constant vigilance!"

"What about us?" asked Ginny, who had just joined them. "Where are we going?"

"You three are coming with us," growled Moody. "Best of luck, Potter."

"Take care, Harry," added Lupin.

"See you in a couple of weeks," said Tonks.

"We'll see you soon enough mate," Ron told him.

"Be careful Harry," said Ginny and she kissed him on the cheek. Harry then turned to Hermione, who like usual looked worried.

"It's all right, Hermione. I'll see you soon. I'll be okay," Harry told her. She gave him an unconvinced look.

"Bye Harry," she said to him. She gave him an unusually tight hug ("She must have been wanting to do that for a while," Harry concluded) and gave him a kiss on the cheek. With that, he turned away from the group, and headed off behind Uncle Vernon.

Days passed by quickly after Dumbledore's funeral, and everything was getting worse for Harry. The Dursleys' attitude seemed to have reached a new level of hatred toward him. Harry guessed that they were enjoying his last weeks living with them. By enjoying, he meant torturing him in any way possible. Already he had fought with his uncle, and at one point Harry almost lost it completely.

The Daily Prophet ran articles on the events the night Dumbledore died. They published pictures of the Death Eaters involved and a description of each of them. Next to Greyback's picture was Snape. His caption read, "Former teacher at Hogwarts. Responsible for Dumbledore's murder. Extremely dangerous." Next to Snape was Draco Malfoy. His caption read, "Son of known Death Eater Lucius Malfoy. Could be dangerous." Harry kept this clipping, to remind himself of what he must do, and why he must not fail. The Prophet also stated other occurrences where Muggles were being tortured and killed. More wizards were dying, luckily no one Harry recognized. There were also speeches by Scrimgeour, the Minister of Magic, that were trying to convince that they were doing everything possible to catch the Death Eaters.

His friends seemed not be helping at all with the situation. Ron kept bothering him about random things. Harry had the feeling that Ron really didn't agree with Harry breaking up with Ginny. Hermione on the other hand was acting a bit strange towards him. Her letters were discreet, and she acted differently in the letters. She was clearly hiding something. Harry did get the feeling that Ron and Hermione finally had admitted their feelings to each other. However, that quickly changed as their letters went from friendly to not so friendly towards each other. They were trying to hide their troubles from Harry, but Harry knew his best friends. They didn't want him to suffer again by being in the middle of their fights.

The worst was that he kept having nightmares of people dying and of Voldemort torturing people he loved. He spent most of the night up, studying from old books. Hermione sent him a couple of new books for him to read, which by now he knew front to back. He kept pondering about his future, what he would do after he got out of the Dursley's. He made a conclusion that he would have to face going back to Godric's Hollow.

It was the eve of Harry's seventeenth birthday. It was already dark outside. A slight breeze swept inside Harry's room. It was then that he noticed that Aunt Petunia was yelling for him to go downstairs. He walked downstairs and went to the kitchen where she was calling. She was alone and looked different from usual.

"Dudley and Vernon have gone out. I'm expecting that someone is coming to get you," she said to him nastily.

"Yes. They should be here soon," Harry spat back at her. He went to go towards the door when she told him to wait.

"There's something I've been meaning to show you. I figure now is a good time since you are about to leave." She pulled out a rusty crumpled old envelope and handed it to Harry. He took it and read its content.

"Dear Ms. Evans, You have been invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry…." he read aloud. "This is my mother's Hogwarts letter. Why are you showing this to me?"

"That's not your mother's letter. It's mine." Harry's jaw dropped, and he flipped over the envelope. Sure enough, it was addressed to Petunia Evans.

"There is a reason why I disliked your mother. When I received this letter, I couldn't believe what I was reading. I was a witch! The first witch in our family. Then, it dawned on me what had just happened. My family would disapprove of me being a witch. I would be an outcast; I would become a freak to them! As quickly as I had received the letter, I hid it. Never would someone know I was a witch! Then years passed, and my sister got a letter too. My parents were thrilled! She got to do what I had wanted to do. She got all the glory I should have received! I couldn't stand it."

"I promised myself that I would never approve of magic again," she continued. "I tried to get away from anything that resembled magic. I would find a man that was just as against it as me. No matter what type of personality he had. That's when I met Vernon, and I knew he was perfect for me. We married later on, an agreement that I knew would separate me from my sister. Little did I know she would end up dead. There hasn't been a moment when I have regretted treating her like scum." Tears started to form in her eyes.

"Then you came along. I finally got a chance to make up for my errors. However, it was impossible to treat you like normal. I had married, after all, to a man who completely disapproved of Lily. I couldn't leave him though. What was I to do with two newly born children? I had no money; I could not raise you by myself. So I decided that the best way to raise you would be following Vernon's commands, whether I agreed with him or not. I thought that you deserved to know why I am 'against' magic. Before you go, I just wanted to let you know that I….that I….am sorry for the way I treated you." She started to cry, and Harry stood dumbfounded. Aunt Petunia was a witch! That's why she hated his parents. She had been jealous.

Just then, three loud cracks came from the living room. Petunia quickly wiped the tears away. Harry into the room to find Tonks, Lupin, and Moody there.

"Ready to go Potter? We need to leave as soon as possible," said Moody. "Tonks, go get his belongings and send them ahead." Tonks quickly left the room, and returned minutes later.

"Everything set?" asked Lupin. "Good. Say good bye to your aunt Harry. We will wait for you right here." Harry went back to the kitchen where he found his aunt.

"I'm leaving now," he said to her. She was crying softly and clutching the letter. For the first time he felt sorry for her. He went up to her and gave her a hug. "Thanks for everything." This made her start bawling.

"I know this won't mean anything to you, but you can come back anytime you want. This will always be a home to you, no matter what Vernon says." Harry gave her one last look, and turned to go back where the others were.

"Ready?" Lupin asked. "Good. We will be Apparating there. Since you haven't had your test, yet I suggest you hang on tightly to my arm. Look around one last time Harry, and say good bye." Harry took one last good look, and with a pop, they were being transported to a new location.

They stopped and landed inside of a building. Harry looked around and saw that they were in what seemed to be like an entrance corridor to a castle. There was an enormous chandelier above them and two grand staircases in front of them. Everything was clean and beautiful. The room was circular and had different halls expanding from it. The gold of the railings and doorknobs showed the majestic elegance of the room. Artwork was hanging from every vacant wall filled with different wizards crowding around to see the new guests. Behind him, Harry saw two enormous oak doors, which, he guessed, led outside. There was a faint smell of goats in the air also. Harry looked up the stairs, and his eyes stopped at what was hanging from the wall. A large phoenix suit of arms was hanging on top of the staircases.

"Is this Dumbledore's house?" asked Harry.

"Well I guess you can call it that," said a rough voice behind them. "It's finally time we metHarry Potter. I am Aberforth Dumbledore."


	2. Ch 2 Birthday Surprises

Ch. 2 Birthday Surprises

Harry turned to find a tall wizard standing behind them. The wizard had long grey hair and beard. He wore a dark charcoal cloak, which clearly could use a good cleaning. His face was battered to match his grumpy voice. Then Harry realized that he had seen this man before.

"You're the bartender at the Hogshead Bar in Hogsmeade. I saw you two years ago," Harry said.

"Quite correct Potter," Aberforth answered back. "I, like I said earlier, am Aberforth Dumbledore. Welcome to my house. Why don't we head off the dining room? I bet you are hungry. I'll be able to explain everything there."

"We'll go and be on our way," said Lupin. He, Tonks, and Moody said their good byes and headed off through one of the other halls. Harry then followed Aberforth to the dining room. The house was magnificent. The hall leading to the dining room was beautifully decorated. The pictures were again filled with wizards running to each frame trying to get a good look at Harry.

"Alright Potter," Aberforth said coming to the end of the hall, "the door on the left leads to the kitchens. Now go ahead to the door on the right that will take us to the dining room." Harry turned right and headed through the door. In the middle of the room was a huge table. Harry thought that it could easily sit fifty people. The table also had food on it. There was everything from turkey, to pork, to pudding, to fruit. Across the hall was a fireplace in which three Hagrids could fit. Thousands of candles floating near the ceiling reminded Harry of Hogwarts.

"Come and have a seat Harry," Aberforth pointed to a seat near him. "Feel free to start eating when you want." Harry sat down and started to quickly pack some food onto his plate, more because of politeness then because of hunger.

"I'm guessing you are a bit awestruck by this whole situation," Aberforth said. "Perhaps it'll be best if I explain a few things. For the past couple of years I have been secretly working for the Order. My brother needed someone to keep a look out at what's been going on underground, so he sent me to work at Hogshead. It was me who told him about your little meetings there," he added.

"But it was Mundungus who saw us there. He was hidden, and he over heard us," Harry told him, finally finding his voice.

"Mundungus Fletcher?" asked Aberforth. "He's lucky I didn't know he was there. Filthy little bloke," he said grumpily. "Well, if that's so, I also told Albus that you had paid me a little visit with a group of your friends."

"How long have you've been there?" asked Harry suddenly realizing something. Aberforth seemed to have received the same gift of Occulemency that his brother had.

"I too was the one who caught Snape that night," Aberforth added with a look of loathsome. "I never trusted him, from the first second I saw him." Harry started to feel angry again. "But Albus always did, so I went along with it. If I would have known what was to come, I would have killed him on the spot." Harry was taken aback by this last sentence. Aberforth sure seemed different from his brother. The other Dumbledore would never say anything about killing anyone else, but Harry didn't seem to mind Aberforth's feelings towards Snape either. "When I found out about Albus…and Snape…I couldn't believe it. I knew though, that the time had come for me to reveal myself. This leads me to tonight." Harry was so intent in listening that he didn't even notice that he was eating.

"Since my brother's death, this has become the new headquarters for the Order. This place is the safest place for you to be at the moment. While your stay here, you will be taught some things before you head off back to school," Aberforth explained to Harry.

"Back to school!" Harry interrupted. "I'm not going back to Hogwarts. There are some things that I need to do, and I just can't go back."

"Relax," Aberforth said. His voice sounded awkward. Harry had the feeling that Aberforth wasn't used to calming down teenagers. "Listen, for right now you are to stay here for a while. Your Apparition test will be in two days, and there is the Weasley's wedding to that veela girl. There are also some things that Albus wanted me to show you." Harry was about to interrupt when Aberforth said, "I can't answer your questions right now Harry. If you are finished, then I will show you your room."

Harry sadly got up without another word. What could Aberforth need to show him? Did it have to do with the Horcruxes? Silently they went up the stairs in the main corridor. They passed a couple of doors and finally Aberforth signaled to a door on his right.

"This will be your room. Ron is in the next room up, and Hermione is across from you," he added pointing to the door on the left. "They'll talk to you in the morning I suppose. Well, I'll leave you now. Your things are already in there for you. Good night Potter."

"Good night," Harry called back. He opened the door and was greeted by a comfortable sized room. There was a nice, warm-looking bed, and on the other side another fire place. There was a desk and a large bookshelf opposite him, and a large couch placed in front of the fireplace. His things were put to one side of the room, and Hedwig was perched on top of the dresser, fast asleep. Harry felt tired himself and decided that he would unpack later. He quickly changed into some pajamas and got in bed. He laid in bed thinking about what occurred in the past hours. The way Aunt Petunia acted, and the things Aberforth needed to show him.

_Maybe Ron and Hermione will know, _he thought to himself. With that, he fell asleep.

Darkness engulfed Harry. He was standing in the Department of Mysteries alone; his hands stained with blood. He himself was barely standing. His heart beating fast and a painful feeling right below his throat. Then he heard a painful scream behind one of the doors. He quickly ran through to find the source of the scream, and his heart sank at the sight. A Death Eater was torturing Ginny.

"**_Avada Kedavra_!" Harry shot at the Death Eater. Instantly the Death Eater fell to the floor dead, and Harry ran towards Ginny.**

**"Ginny, are you okay? Please don't leave me Ginny," Harry said to her while cradling her dying body in his hands. "I don't want you to go. I need you." Tears started to fall from his eyes.**

**"Am I really the one you need, Harry?" Ginny calmly asked him. "Goodbye Harry." Then, before Harry could analyze what Ginny just said, Ron replaced Ginny as the dying person in Harry's arms.**

**"Ron!" Harry said as he stared at the new person in front of him. "Not you too! Hold on Ron! You'll make it through with me!" Now his tears were flowing uncontrollably.**

**"Hey mate," Ron said shakily. "I'm okay Harry. I chose to help you after all. We've been through so much. It's just my turn to be "checked mate". See you around Harry."**

**"No!" Harry screamed. "Ron, come back! You should have never tried to help me! This is all my fault!" He cried out. Then Ron's body faded away to reveal…**

**"Hermione! Oh, Hermione! You can't leave me! Please, please wake up!" He shouted at her. However, she did not wake up. Harry held her close and cried quietly to her. Then, out of nowhere, a hooded figure appeared and shot a spell at Harry. Harry flew backwards, and landed motionless on the floor. Complete blackness appeared in Harry's eyes. Then he felt someone's warm hands soothing his cold face. Then a bright white light started to shine through his eyelids as a soothing sensation crept over him.**

**"It's all right Harry. Everything is okay. You don't need to worry about anything," said a mysterious voice. The voice was calming and comforting. It sounded familiar, but Harry couldn't place a face to it. He pulled his hand up to his face and found the mysterious person's hand. It was then when he noticed it belonged to a girl. He placed his hand on top of her hand and inhaled deeply. A calming sensation over took his body.**

**"Who are you?" Harry asked. The other person laughed and continued to stroke his face.**

**"I'm just here to tell you that everything will be okay. I'm going to make sure that you survive Harry," the voice assured him. **

**"And will you be there with me?" Harry asked hopefully to the girl. A couple of moments passed, and Harry heard the girl starting to cry softly.**

**"I'll always be with you Harry." She bent down and kissed him on his forehead. Harry felt one of her hot tears land on his cheek. She continued to stoke his face, and next thing Harry knew, he awoke from his sleep to find no one by his side. **

**Harry sat up from the bed and put on his glasses. He took a quick scan of the room expecting to find someone with him, but he was wrong. There was no one. He looked up at a clock on the wall and noticed that it was already one o'clock in the afternoon. He got up from the bed and started to get dressed. He was quickly interrupted by two peoples' argument. Harry finished getting dressed and stuck his head out his door to find the source of the yelling. He quickly found out it was coming from Hermione's room. He crossed the hall and pressed his ear against her door. He became quickly aware that the two voices belonged to his best friends.**

**"I can't believe you Ron!" screamed Hermione. "Why are you so jealous of him? We are just friends! I can't believe I have to have this same conversation with you every time I talk to anyone other than you! You are so immature!"**

**"Oh, but I bet dear ol' Vicky is a mature man!" Ron spat at her. "I'm sure he's not jealous of anyone! I'm sure he's all happy now that we're not together anymore! After all, you seem to be doing fine without me!"**

**"How can you say something like that?" Hermione screamed at him.**

**"Well, usually when two people break up, one person usually doesn't like the other. That same person is usually happy the relationship is over. I'm sure Vicky can explain it to you later!" Ron answered back.**

**"I can't believe I ever thought I liked you!" Hermione screamed at Ron.**

**"I can't believe I wasted so much time with you. I thought Lavender was a waste of time!" Ron screamed at her. Harry couldn't believe that Ron would ever say that to Hermione. Deep down, Harry had the urge to break down the door and curse Ron to oblivion.**

**"Get out!" Hermione finally said her voice cracking. Harry heard Hermione starting to cry. Then, Harry heard footsteps coming closer to him, and he quickly ran to his room and closed the door. He pressed his ear against his door and heard Ron going down the hall, probably trying to get the furthest away from Hermione as possible. Harry stood by his door for a couple of minutes, debating whether he should go and beat up Ron, or go and talk to Hermione. His debating ended when he heard Hermione emerge from her room. She sniffled a bit, and then went the same way Ron had gone.**

**Harry waited a bit, and opened his room to leave. He walked towards the dining room, since he knew not of any other place in the house. He stopped in front of the kitchen doors where he heard Hermione saying something to Ron.**

**"Look," she said crossly. "Harry should be down any minute. We do not want him to find out what's been going on between us. It will just add more problems. I suggest that we just keep out each other's way and pretend nothing happened." The last sentence she said was a bit shaky. Harry knew that she was still upset and hurt by Ron's comments. He heard them coming towards the door so he quickly went into the dining room which was empty. Seconds later, the door opened, and Harry's two best friends walked in. Hermione was the first to greet him.**

**"Harry you're awake! It's so good to see you!" Hermione said as she went up to him and gave him a tight hug. "Happy Birthday!" she added giving him a huge smile. Harry could tell that her eyes were a bit blood shot from her crying. She also sounded a bit different, although she was clearly trying to hide it.**

**"Happy Birthday mate! Why are you in here by yourself?" Ron asked him after he shook Harry's hand. **

**_Why do you think I'm in here you git? I overheard your conversations and then hid so you wouldn't find me, _he thought to himself. Harry again had the urge of punching Ron in the face but thought it was better to play dumb.**

**"Thanks guys," Harry said to them. "It's good seeing you two. I was actually looking for something to eat. I'm famished!"**

**"Oh, well in that case take a seat mate," Ron said. "Mum's not in the kitchen. I think she's outside in the garden. Let me go get her." With a quick nervous glance at Hermione, he went out the door. Harry then sat down at the table, and Hermione sat down next to him. She kept glancing at him, but remained silent. Harry couldn't resist the temptation anymore.**

**"Hermione, is something wrong?" he asked her quietly.**

**"What?" she asked him nervously. "Of course not Harry, why would you think that?" **

**"It's just," Harry started looking straight into her eyes, "you've been acting different around me. Especially after last year, you seemed a bit quieter, as if you are hiding something from me. I could mostly tell by the letters you sent me. Is there something going on that I don't know about?" Hermione stared back into his eyes, and he noticed that big tears were forming in her eyes. Then, they heard footsteps nearing them from the hall.**

**"We'll talk later," Hermione answered back as she quickly dried up her eyes. Mrs. Weasley and Ron came in with a tray filled with food. They all gathered around Harry while he ate, and they filled Harry in with information about the house and Aberforth. They also informed Harry that Bill and Fleur were to wed in two weeks. Mrs. Weasley was thrilled about the wedding, and could not stop talking about how wonderful Fleur is. Ron later interrupted and suggested that they go flying for the rest of the afternoon and come back in later for Harry's birthday dinner.**

**"Flying? I'm not allowed to go anywhere," Harry told Ron.**

**"You are here," Ron explained. "There is no way you will be hurt here. Even if you are outside!" Although he was still mad at Ron, he accepted the invitation. Enthusiastically, Harry and Ron went outside and flew for hours- way after it was dark outside. At around seven o'clock, Mrs. Weasley demanded that they go indoors and take a shower. They headed up to their rooms, and after they took showers, they headed towards Harry's Birthday dinner. Right before they went into the dinner, Ron handed Harry his present. It was a huge package of Harry's favorite candies. **

**When they arrived at the dinner, the whole table was full of people. There were Members of the Order and some Aurors that Harry didn't know. Aberforth was seated next to Moody and Tonks. All the Weasley's were spread amongst the seats, with the exception of Percy. Ginny came running to Harry and wished him a Happy Birthday. She started to tell him something, but his attention turned to Hermione, who was seated quietly, clearly thinking of something. Harry walked towards her and sat down next to her. She gave him a smile and another 'Happy Birthday' before the food appeared. Then everyone started to eat.**

**After a couple of hours of food and stories, Harry felt like he was ready for bed. Then, the table cleared and a huge cake was placed in front of Harry with seventeen candles lit. After everyone had finished singing, he made a wish and blew out the candles. An hour later, people started to say their good byes. Hermione also got up and went to bed. Lupin then sat in Hermione's vacant seat. He handed Harry a small rectangular box.**

**"This is from me," Lupin told him. Harry opened the box. A black pocketknife was inside. "This was actually mine while I was at Hogwarts. It's indestructible. I found it useful, I'm sure you will also." After Harry thanked Lupin, Aberforth asked Harry for a private word. They both left the loud dining room, and headed outside to the garden. **

**"I have a birthday present for you," Aberforth growled at Harry. "I bought it when I had a mission a long time ago. Figured I could give it to my son when he became of age. Since I don't have a son, I decided to go ahead and give it to you. After all, you were probably like a son to my brother." **

**He handed Harry a small red pouch. Harry opened it, and pulled out what turned out to be a necklace. In the middle of the necklace was a silver tiny ball, which resembled a miniature ball of yarn. The ball glittered in the moonlight. A black leather strap made up the chain of the necklace.**

**"Wow! Thanks!" Harry finally said.**

**"This necklace is very special Harry," Aberforth explained. "That little ball will eventually lose silver threads. This will probably happen every time you share some type of connection with someone. When it does, you put another necklace chain on it, and give it to that person. Then, you will be "connected" to that person, as long as they wear the necklace."**

**"What do you mean by "connected"?" Harry asked.**

**"You will share a kind of bond," Aberforth explained. "For example, if you are in danger, the other person will know you are." Harry again thanked Aberforth, and put on the necklace. Together, they went back into the dining room. **

** Harry waited another half and hour, and he and Ron went up to their rooms.**

**"Good night Harry," Ron said going to his room and closing the door. Once he knew Ron had gone in the room, Harry turned to Hermione's door, and started to wonder whether if he should go in. He then walked up to the door and grabbed the doorknob. Then Ron made a noise from his room, and Harry decided against it. He turned around, and headed into his room. He closed the door and faced his bed, where a tearful Hermione sat. **


	3. Ch 3 Hermione's Secret

**Ch. 3 Hermione's Secret**

**She had a worried look on her face and seemed a bit nervous when Harry walked in. He quickly crossed the room and sat down next to her, laying the knife and the bag containing the necklace on top of the bed.**

**"Hermione, what is it?" He asked her quietly.**

**"I was hoping Ron wouldn't walk in with you," she said quietly. "There are some things I've wanted to talk to you about without having Ron there. I just don't know where to begin." Because of her crying, her voice sounded like she had a cold. She then got up and walked towards the door. She preformed a silencing charm on the door, and walked back towards the fireplace. She took a seat on the couch, and Harry soon appeared next to her.**

**"How about you start on why you've been acting strange around me," Harry suggested to her. She looked at him, and then looked back to the fire.**

**"I'm really sorry Harry. That's all I've wanted to say," she told him.**

**"Sorry? For what? You haven't done anything," Harry replied.**

**"I've just been feeling guilty," she stated. "Last year was a really awful year for me. I should have spent more time with you. Help you with Malfoy." She started to cry into her hands. "I was so selfish Harry! All I could care about was Ron's stupid actions with Lavender. I'll I could care about was me! If I would have put my feelings aside, I would have been able to help you! I could have helped stop him! Dumbledore would still be alive! I'm so sorry Harry!" Hermione started to cry hysterically now. Her body started to shake, and she was whimpering loudly. Harry sat in awe as he witnessed his best friend break down. He scooted down towards Hermione and put his arm around her not knowing what else to do.**

**"Look at me Hermione," he said calmly. "You don't need to apologize for anything. You were just lost in the moment. How could you have known what was to come in the future? It's okay Hermione," Harry told her as he gave her a tight hug. He then wiped the tears off her face with his hands. "Promise me that you won't think about that anymore, alright?" She nodded and crawled back into his arms, giving him one more hug.**

**"Thanks Harry," she whispered to him.**

**"Besides, I knew that you liked Ron. It's not like you were making it that discreet," he laughed at her. "I understood that you were hurt, and then when he got hurt that you wanted to spend time with him."**

**"Right…" Hermione said nodding to him. **

** "Was this all you've been wanting to talk about?" Harry asked her, wondering if she would say anything else about Ron.**

**"Why? Do you know of something else?" she asked at Harry. **

**"No," Harry lied to her. He couldn't face her crying again. **

**"Are you sure? Has anything been out of the ordinary?" she asked staring into his eyes again. He felt a hot flash go through his body. Surely she didn't know that he was having nightmares again. He then felt an urge to tell her, after all, if anyone would understand, it would be her.**

**"Well, I don't want you to become worried or anything—"he started. "But I've been having nightmares again." She took the news rather calm. She simply nodded and urged him to continue. "They aren't like the ones two years ago. These seem to be just random flashes."**

**"What are the flashes about?" she asked him. He looked from her eyes, to the fire. **

**"Death," he told her. He swallowed hard and continued. "Every night I'm in a different scenario, but it always ends up with someone dying. I've seen everyone that I love—" he stopped. His eyes started to burn, and he couldn't bring himself to continue. It was Hermione's turn to reach for his hand.**

**"You see everyone you love dying," she finished for him. "It's only dreams Harry. They aren't real."**

**"But what if they are premonitions? I've almost lost each and every one at least once before. I don't know what I would do if—"he didn't have to finish the sentence. Hermione understood him. Still holding his hand, she knelt to the floor in front of him. With her free hand she pushed his gaze back into her eyes.**

**"You will never lose us Harry," she told him. Her words calmed him. "These nightmares go on all night?"**

**"No," he answered. He thought of the dream he had that previous night, and the voice that calmed him. He felt his face starting to burn. **

**"Oh," Hermione said smiling. "By the look of your face, it seems that not all the dream is bad. Someone comes and rescues you, don't they? Do you know who it is?"**

**"What are you talking about Hermione?" He knew well she did in fact know. "It's just someone that calms me down and reassures me. I don't ever see a face." Hermione got up, and Harry swore he saw her turn a bit red.**

**"I guess you have a guardian angel," she teased him. **

**"Guess so," he smiled at her. "Her—"**

**"Look at the time Harry! It's nearly three in the morning! We better call it a night," she interrupted.**

**"Let me at least walk you to your room," he smiled at her. Together they crossed his room and headed out the door. Hermione stopped in front of her door and turned to Harry. "This has probably been the best birthday ever," he told her.**

**"Oh, how could I've forgotten?" she quickly said. She went into her room and came back with a package. She handed him the present. "There has been so much going through my mind that I forgot to give you your present. I really hope you like it. Well, good night Harry." She stood up on her toes and gave him a kiss on his forehead. "Thanks for everything."**

**"Anytime," he answered back. He walked across to his door.**

**"Oh, and Harry," Hermione called back to him. "Say 'hi' to your guardian angel for me," and with a smile she disappeared behind her door. Harry went in his room and closed the door behind him. He walked over to the couch and sat down. Harry touched his forehead where Hermione had kissed him. He noticed he was smiling and had a feeling that Hermione was smiling behind her door. **

**Harry looked down at his hand where he was holding Hermione's present. He ripped open the paper and opened up the box. Inside was a brand new watch. It looked like a muggle watch with a black leather strap, and a chrome rim around the face. The numbers and hands were also silver to match the rim. In the middle was a silver lion. There was a note attached to the box.**

**_Happy Birthday Harry! I hope you like this watch. I've been trying to get this since our forth year, but I haven't been able to finish hexing it. It looks like a normal watch, but it actually has some enchantments on it. It's indestructible, water proof, and starts to move when someone untrustworthy is around. I just thought it was time you got a new watch since the last broke while you were 'saving us' three years ago. Wow! Has it really been three years already? It seems like yesterday I stumbled into your compartment looking for Neville's toad! Who would have known then? Well, have a great 17th birthday, and many more!_**

**_Love,_**

**_Hermione_**

**Harry smiled and quickly put on his new watch. It fit perfectly and looked great. He went and put the knife on his bedside table, and took out the necklace from the bag. After gazing at it for a couple of minutes, he placed it around his neck. He put on some pajamas and got into bed. He took one last look at the watch, and touched his forehead again. For some reason, he couldn't stop smiling.**

**"_Well that's new,"_ he thought to himself. In moments, he fell into a peaceful sleep.**

**The days passed on. Harry passed his apparition test without much difficulty. He had the feeling that Ron was a bit jealous since he failed his first test. The three friends spent most of the days looking up things in old books. Harry spent most of the nights trying to think of memories Dumbledore had shown him and thinking of the locations of the remaining Horcruxes. Unfortunately, no matter how much effort he put into it, he didn't get closer to finding them. They had also gotten nowhere on the identity of R.A.B. This bit bothered Hermione the most Harry thought. He would often find her in the library at the house. Harry felt grateful for all the effort she was doing, even if she didn't get any results.**

**Ron also was trying. He spent most of the time by himself, studying in his room. Harry guessed he didn't want to spend much time with Hermione. The secrecy of their relationship was still in effect. They were doing their best to keep it a secret, which meant anytime they were together, Harry was usually near by.**

**Ginny spent a couple of days at the house after Harry's birthday. She knew nothing of what Harry, Hermione, and Ron were doing. When she did finally ask, Hermione told her that, "she should stop pretending to know what she is talking about. She would only embarrass herself." Harry had the feeling that Hermione was getting payback for Ginny's Quidditch comment from the year before. Harry did manage to spend the least amount of time with Ginny. She had already tried to convince him to get back together, and he didn't know if he could keep saying no to her. He did miss the feeling of being wanted sometimes, but he knew that he could not hurt Ginny again. In addition, every time Harry looked back at their relationship, he kept thinking about how juvenile it had been. He kept questioning his feelings for her. Because of that, he decided to get some space between him and Ginny. Ginny was very frustrated at the whole situation and went to spend some time at one of her friend's house until the wedding.**

**Aberforth also talked to Harry. He told him that after Bill and Fleur's wedding, he would talk to Harry about a couple of things that needed to be done before the summer ended. Then he told Harry that he personally would escort him to Godric's Hollow, but Harry would have to wait until the craziness of the wedding would die down.**

**Craziness was an understatement. The day before the wedding, everyone was running around. Mrs. Weasley was going hysterical at everyone while running around to make sure everything was ready. The wedding was to be held in a large room at the opposite side of the house. Then, they would proceed to a ball room that was also at the house. Harry had given up trying to locate the different rooms. One hall would lead to another, which lead to another! He went to bed late that night because the rehearsal dinner took longer than expected. Fleur's side of the family had arrived earlier, and the guys kept being distracted by the women. It wasn't until Hermione nudged Harry hard in the ribs did he remember that they were part veela.**

**The next morning he was woken up by a very loud Mrs. Weasley. She again, was going hysterical about all the little details that needed to be done. After he had breakfast with the rest of the guys (All the girls had woken up early start getting ready), he headed straight to his room. He remained there until he had to go down for the wedding. He decided it was best to stay out of Mrs. Weasley's way. **

**An hour before he had to go downstairs, he started to get ready. He took a shower and shaved his face. Like always, his hair was sticking up all over the place, but he decided that it looked more formal wet. He put on his black slacks, shoes, socks, and his white shirt. Then he slowly tied his pale green bowtie together which matched the bridesmaid dresses. He put on his black formal cloak, and headed to where the boys were supposed to gather. When he arrived, all the other men were ready. Ron came in a couple minutes later, also sporting a new cloak. Harry walked over towards Bill and wished him good luck. Luckily, Bill had for the most recovered from last year. His face was still badly scarred, but he had not received a full ware wolf bite.**

**One of the ushers came and told everyone to meet in the lobby where the girls were waiting for them. They did as they were told, and sure enough all the girls were there. All the girls looked beautiful. Their hair and makeup had been done, and they were wearing pale green bridesmaid dresses. Harry noticed Ginny and thought that she looked amazing as well. She was talking to a very pretty girl. _I don't remember meeting her. She must be related to Fleur._ The photographer then came in, and told everyone to pair up. Ginny went to Harry and put her arm through his, ready to head into the hall. She was trying to tell him something, but his eyes gazed at another girl. The pretty girl went in front of him, where Ron was standing. Then his jaw dropped. He realized who the girl was. It was Hermione.**

**The photographer then came down the row, making a couple of last changes. When he got to Harry and Ginny, he shook his head disapprovingly. **

**"This will not do," he said aloud. "You and you switch," he said pointing at Ginny and Gabriella, Fleur's sister. Ginny reluctantly switched. "No, no, that still doesn't look right. Let me see, ah, you and you switch." He pointed to Gabriella and Hermione. Harry had trouble deciding who was more happy with the switch, Ron or Hermione. Hermione smiled at Harry and took his arm. "Much better," said the photographer.**

**"You can close your mouth now Harry," Hermione teased him. Harry quickly shut his mouth, and he felt his face burn a little. "That cloak looks good on you."**

**"Thanks," he said finding his voice. "You look great by the way." Harry saw her blush a bit but didn't get a chance to say anything else. The line started to move into the hall. They walked up the isle and separated at the end, Harry following the guys and Hermione following the other girls. There were quite a few people in the audience. Harry had the feeling some of them were looking at him. Then the audience got up, and the bride started walking down the isle.**

**After the wedding, they filed out again and headed towards the ballroom, where the party would take place. Harry was again walking with Hermione and heard her inhale loudly when they entered the room. The room was beautiful. There were lights and candles throughout the room. There were little lights near the ceiling, which Harry noticed to be little fairies. He, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Gabriella, and the boy that escorted Ginny all sat down at a table together near the dance floor. All the girls started to talk to each other about the wedding, while the guys talked about Quidditch. Harry noticed that Ron kept shooting glances at Hermione. When all the guest had sat down, the bride and groom were presented. Then the dinner started. The ordering was done like the Yule Ball. Harry had a delicious salmon with some French food he couldn't pronounce. **

**When everyone had finished eating, music started playing and Bill and Fleur started their first dance. Eventually, people started to dance along with them. Hermione leaned over to Harry and told him to go dance with Ginny. She said that "one dance wouldn't kill anybody." He agreed and asked Ginny to dance. Once the song ended, they returned to an empty table. They had just sat down when a boy came and asked Ginny for a dance. She accepted and went off with the boy. Harry saw her give one more look at him before she disappeared in the mass of people. A couple of minutes passed, and Hermione came back. She sat down, and her face was a bit red. She seemed a bit irritated at something.**

**"What's wrong Hermione?" Harry asked her.**

**"Nothing," she answered. "At least nothing important," she said as she gave him a smile. A new song started to play. "Oh, I love this song! Harry, come on. Dance with me!" Before Harry had time to answer, she had already grabbed his hand and was leading him to the dance floor.**

**"I'm a lousy dancer," he admitted to her.**

**"Nonsense!" she said. With that, she grabbed his hand and put it on her waist. Slowly they started to move. **

**"But," he started to say. He was quickly interrupted.**

**"Just relax and listen to the music," she assured him. "Move with the rhythm." Harry did as he was told, and didn't say another word. He could now here the lyrics to the song.**

_Dance, your final dance  
This is your final chance  
To hold the one you love  
You know you've waited  
Long enough_

"Do you have the feeling that someone is watching us right now?" he asked her.

"Yes," she answered. "But that's because Ron is glaring at us right now, and Ginny looks like she wants to _Avada Kedavra_ me."

"Reminds me of the Yule Ball," Harry joked. He remembered that night perfectly. Ron was so jealous of Hermione. Harry could see why. His own jaw dropped when he had seen her that night.

_So believe, that magic works  
Don't be afraid, Ill be in hurt   
Don't let, this magic die  
The answers there  
Oh, just look in her eyes_

"He was always so jealous," Hermione said. "He has no reason to be. It doesn't matter now anyway. He needs to grow up."

"I guess I understand why he was jealous. You did look pretty that night," Harry smiled at her. "Not that you look hideous the other days." She turned her face around from Harry's. He could see her face blushing a bit, as she looked at Ron, who scowled back.

_And make, your final move  
Hmmm don't be scared  
She wants you to   
Yeah its hard  
You must be brave  
Don't let this moment slip away_

The song eventually ended, but Harry kept dancing with Hermione. They talked about all different types of things. Then, Harry noticed Mrs. Weasley dancing merrily with Bill.

"She's in a very good mood," Harry said nodding towards Mrs. Weasley. It was hard to believe that a year ago, Mrs. Weasley did not want Bill to marry Fleur.

"Yea," Hermione said looking at Bill and Mrs. Weasley. "I'm so happy that she cheered up. I heard her crying to Mr. Weasley this morning."

"Why would she cry?" Harry asked.

"My guess is that they invited Percy, but as you can see, he's not here. I heard them talking about a letter. Who knows what he said to them?" She added. Harry felt a ping of pity for the Weasleys, but that was quickly ended with anger towards Percy. "Isn't it amazing," Hermione continued, "that brothers could be so different. Percy is not like any of his brothers. Everyone is involved in the Order, and then he goes off and turns—evil ."

"That reminds me of Sirius's family. Although, he was probably the one that was considered 'evil'," Harry added. "Sirius brother turned out to be the favorite of that family."

"I didn't know Sirius had a brother," Hermione stated. "What was his name?" Harry thought for a moment, and then remembered looking at Sirius's family tree.

"Regulus," Harry answered. "He was younger than Sirius. His parents were thrilled when he became a death eater." Harry examined Hermione's face and could tell that she was thinking about something.

"What happened to him?" Hermione asked. "He must have died in order for you to get Sirius's estate."

"Sirius said that he was killed by another Death Eater," Harry said casually. "Something about Regulus getting too deep inside, and then he tried to leave. Of course Voldemort gave the order for him to be killed."

"Interesting," Hermione said minutes later. Harry never found out what was 'interesting'. The dancing stopped, and the cake was distributed. Everyone was having such a good time that Harry forgot to ask Hermione what was interesting. The night continued until dawn, and after the newlyweds left, the rest of the people started heading off. Harry went with Hermione and Ron up to the rooms. Minutes later, Harry was fast asleep.

Hours later, his sleep was interrupted by a happy shriek. Someone went over to his bed and laid a book next to him. Harry looked up and realized who it was.

"What is it Hermione?" he asked sleepily. He put on his glasses and looked at the book next to him, _Pure-Blood Legacy._

"Regulus Black," Hermione said gleaming at him. "Look Harry," she said taking the book from him, and opening it to a marked page. She pointed to a name, and Harry read it.

"Regulus Augustus Black," Harry read. Something in his mind clicked. "That sounds familiar," Harry told Hermione. She gave him a bigger smile, and then Harry realized what he was thinking. "R.A.B." he said calmly. "But Hermione, that can't be."

"Everything fits Harry," Hermione interrupted. "He was a Death Eater, which means he could have found out about the Horcruxes. He was killed because he got too deep in. Voldemort killed him because he found out about the Horcruxes."

"But that would mean that he would have to have had someone else there to do what I did to Dumbledore," Harry said.

"Exactly," Hermione said, proud that Harry was figuring everything out. "It would have been someone smaller than an average man and not as powerful as a grown wizard- someone that would do anything Regulus would tell it to do." Harry went down a list mentally in his head. Then an answer finally appeared in his thoughts. He gave a look to Hermione, and she nodded.

He got up from his bed, and with a powerful voice he yelled, "Kreacher!"

song credit to Weird Sisters _Magic Works_


	4. Ch 4 A Locket Destroyed

Ch. 4 A Locket Destroyed

"Kreacher!" Harry screamed again, his anger finally starting to rise. "Come here! Where is he?"

"Maybe the house has a charm that won't let him in," Hermione said hopefully. "Please stop screaming Harry; you'll wake the others up." Harry looked at his watch to see what time it was, four in the morning. They had just gone to bed a couple hours ago, and Harry noticed that Hermione looked like she hadn't slept at all.

"Have you not slept at all?" Harry asked Hermione. Her cheeks turned a bit pink as she responded.

"No," she said shyly. "All I could think about was Regulus and the mysterious R.A.B. It took me awhile to find a book that proved I was right." Harry felt a sense of pride and loyalty as Hermione talked to him.

"Well," Harry said. "If he can't come to me, then I will go to him."

"Harry, you can't do that," Hermione said to him knowing that he would still go. "Fine, I'm going with you."

"I don't think so Hermione," Harry told her. "I'm not putting you in danger. I can't—"

"You don't decide what I can do," she replied to him, looking straight into his eyes. "I'm not going to let you go by yourself." Harry looked at her determined face and knew he had been beaten.

"Fine Hermione," he said to her. "We'll go, together. Go get changed and I'll meet you outside your door in ten minutes." She hurried off to her room, and Harry quickly put on some jeans and a sweatshirt. Five minutes had passed by and an idea came to Harry. If he crept out of his room right now, Hermione would still be changing. He could leave her behind and therefore save her. Heading out the door, he grabbed the knife, his wand, and the bag with his Invisibility Cloak. He quietly opened the door. To his disappointment, Hermione was standing there.

There was worry in her face, yet she stared at Harry with confidence. "Planning on leaving without me?" Hermione asked Harry.

"Of course not," Harry lied to her. She was wearing jeans and a sweatshirt also, her wand in her hand.

"Well, shall we?" He said, nodding towards the hall. Together they silently walked to the entrance of the house. "We need to find a place where we can Disapparate. Do you know where everyone Apparates from?" he asked her. She looked at him thoughtfully, but didn't say anything. "Come on! Hermione that Horcrux might still be around. I need to destroy it."

"Follow me," she finally said. They walked through one of the other halls and then into a small candle lit room. "This is the only place you can Apparate or Disapparate. We'll have to come back here, before anyone else wakes up," she added. "Um, Harry, where are we going?"

"**Grimmauld Place," Harry answered. "I have a feeling that's where we need to go." **

**"Ok," Hermione said.**

"Alright," Harry said. Something occurred to Harry. "There might be a spell on the house that might not let you in." Hermione looked at him and moved close to him. She grabbed his arm with a tight grip.

"Then you'll have to guide me," she said to him. "I won't let you go alone."

"Ready?" Harry asked her. She moved even closer to him and gripped his arm so tightly that Harry couldn't feel his hand. Harry cleared his mind, and thought about their destination. In seconds he felt the sensation of disapparating. Next thing he knew, he and Hermione were standing in front of **Grimmauld Place. Harry removed his numb arm away from Hermione and grabbed her hand. Together they approached the door, and Harry turned the knob. The door creaked open. He looked at Hermione to see if she was ok, and she nodded back to him. Harry walked in, leading Hermione into the house.**

**"_Lumos!"_ they both said together. They continued to walk through the hallway until they ended up by the familiar staircase. To their relief, the house seemed like it had been abandoned since the night of Sirius's death. Everything was covered in dust and cobwebs. Harry let go of Hermione's hand and walked to the staircase. Tears started to dwell in his eyes. He was remembering seeing Sirius there, and it was coming back that he wouldn't be there anymore. Hermione walked towards him, and grabbed his hand again. She nodded towards the kitchen. Harry nodded back, and she led the way.**

**The kitchen was just as filthy as the rest of the house. The cabinets were empty, and the only thing that remained was the table and chairs. Hermione let go of Harry and walked towards the fireplace. **

**"I'm going to get a fire going," she said, breaking the silence. "It's freezing in here, and we'll be able to see better." She crouched down, and in seconds Harry received the warmth from the fire. Harry sat down and Hermione walked over and sat next to him. He noticed a scratch on the table and ran his finger over it. It was the mark from the knife that Fred and George accidentally shot at Sirius. Again, hot tears began forming. **

**"Are you alright Harry?" Hermione asked, gently putting her hand on his shoulder.**

**"Yeah, I'm fine," he said quickly getting up. "Let's do what we came here for." He inhaled deeply and called, "**Kreacher!" A small pop came behind Harry. He turned around and stared down at his house elf. He received an urge to straggle the elf, but something in his body resisted.

"Where have you been?" Harry yelled. "Why didn't you come to before?"

"I couldn't," Kreacher stated simply. "Something powerful wouldn't let me go into where master was. I was very excited."

"Enough," Harry said, barely containing his anger. "Tell me about Regulus Black. How did he die?"

"I will not spill his secrets!" Kreacher responding, holding his mouth shut with his hands. But he belonged to Harry, so eventually he started talking. "The great Dark Lord came and took him. I do not know why," he added looking quietly to the ground.

"Was there a locket?" Harry asked. "Kreacher, bring me the locket."

"No! I will not!" Kreacher shook his head violently. "I promised I would not let anyone take it!"

"I am your master now!" Harry yelled. "You do as I say! Bring me the locket that Regulus Black stole from Voldemort. Bring me that one, and no other!" There was another pop, and Kreacher disappeared into thin air. Harry turned back to Hermione, her eyes stared fixed on him- the flames from fire reflecting off them. Another small pop and Harry turned to see Kreacher who was clutching the locket closely. Harry extended his hand and said, "Give it to me." Kreacher started shaking and gave the locket to Harry. "You speak of this to no one," he advised Kreacher. With one nastier look, Kreacher disappeared.

Harry held the locket and looked closely at it. The locket was identical to the one that he and Dumbledore took from the cave. Harry ran his finger over the distinctive "S" engraved on it. He tried to open it, but couldn't. "This is it Hermione. I know it is." He laid the locket on the table and took out the knife. "For Dumbledore," he said and with all the anger he could muster, he jabbed the knife into the locket. Suddenly the everything started shaking. Harry held the knife tightly around his fingers as the blade glowed with heat. He felt Hermione stand close to him as they both marveled at the shaking surroundings. Then, the locket split in the middle, still connected by the chain. Instantly, the shaking stopped and the blade cooled. He took out the knife, and pocketed the locket. "Let's go," he told Hermione. She nodded and they silently left towards the exit. Harry stopped in front of the staircase and looked around. Then, they left outside. Once outside, Hermione grabbed his hand, and waited. Her hand felt warm and it calmed Harry for some reason. In seconds, they were on their way back to Aberforth's.

They arrived in the same room, and Hermione guided him back to where their rooms were. It was nearly sunrise, but luckily no one was up yet. They stopped in front of the doors, and Hermione was the first to say something. "Are you alright Harry?"

Truthfully, Harry wasn't. His mind was filled with images of Dumbledore and Sirius. Both made his eyes burn. "Yea," he lied to her. "I'm just really tired." She looked at him, and walked over.

She gave him a hug and whispered, "It'll be okay Harry, and I know it will." He held on to her, not really knowing why he didn't want to let her go. He felt so lost and alone that he couldn't let go. She let go of him and said, "Do you need me to go with you and be with you for awhile?"

He wanted to answer 'yes' but his reflex got the better of him. "No, it's okay, really. We both really just need some sleep." He could have sworn he saw her give a look of disappointment, but then again, he was very tired. "But maybe we could talk tomorrow, or I should say later?" She gave a weak smile, and they both returned to their rooms.

Harry went straight to his bed and dove into the covers without changing. He took off his glasses and rubbed his forehead. _Four down, three more to go, _he thought to himself. He closed his eyes a tried to go to sleep. He searched his head for a good memory to get his mind off Sirius and Dumbledore. He finally picked the thought of his first trip to Hogwarts, before Voldemort. Where his major problem was whether he would have friends, whether or not he would become a real wizard.

Harry stayed in his room the next day. He needed some alone time. Mrs. Weasley had gone in his room to see what was wrong, but he just said it was a stomach ache. His mind was full of memories. He felt alone and sad. It was around dinner time, and his stomach was turning. He headed off to the kitchen to try to get some food before everyone arrived. Right outside the kitchen, he was greeted by Aberforth.

"Tonight Potter," Aberforth growled. "Our first lesson; we will start once dinner is over." He led him to the table, and to Harry's dismay, some people were already there.

"How's your stomach dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked calmly. "I bet you are famished. I made this soup especially for you. I'm sure it will make you feel better," she added with a warm smile. Harry sat down next to Aberforth, and Mrs. Weasley poured him a bowl of soup. Just then, Hermione walked in with Tonks. Harry stared down at his plate, not wanting to look at Hermione. Surely she wanted to talk about the previous night, but he wasn't ready.

She went and sat down next to him. He could feel her staring at him. "How are you feeling?" she asked him.

"I feel better," he lied, still not looking directly at her. "This soup is making me feel better, thanks Mrs. Weasley," he added, trying to change the topic.

"I'm glad dear," Mrs. Weasley answered warmly. "Feel free to take as much as you want." More people came in. Ron took the seat across from Harry, and from what he could tell, Ron must have known about the previous night. Ron gave Harry a weak smile and asked how he was feeling. Then he piled his plate high and started to eat. In between bites, Harry noticed that Ron and Hermione kept exchanging glances. Harry continued to eat until the others finished.

"Are you finished?" Aberforth asked.

"Yes," Harry answered back. They excused themselves from the table and got up. Ron and Hermione did the same. Together, they followed Aberforth to one of the rooms of the house. It reminded Harry of the Room of Requirement. It was big, and filled with anything they might need.

"This is where we will meet every other night until summer ends," Aberforth said. "The Order had decided that in these times of danger, it is important for you three to know how to properly defend yourselves. This will include the killing curse." Harry heard Hermione inhale loudly. "Now I know that you three are very aware of how to defend yourselves, therefore, my main concern will be _Avada Kedavra_. Today however, I must see how far your limits are. We will start _Avada Kedavra _in our next lesson."

So class started. Aberforth conjured what looked like faceless dolls that could cast defending spells. Harry, Ron, and Hermione each demonstrated their fighting capabilities. Midnight came, and Aberforth conjured back the dummies.

"That's enough for tonight," Aberforth said. "We'll continue in two days."

"Good," said Ron. "I'm exhausted. I'll see you two tomorrow," and he quickly left the room.

"Before you go Potter," Aberforth said as Harry walked towards the door. "There is one more thing. The Order has asked of one more thing. They wish that you will learn Occulemency."

"How?" Harry interrupted. "Are you going to teach me?"

"Actually, I found someone better," Aberforth said. "I figured that it would be easier if it was someone you trust. So, you and Hermione will have lessons on Tuesday and Thursday." Harry turned around and looked at Hermione. She gave a small smile and then looked down. "You two best be off to bed, Molly would be furious if she knew you were still up."

They left and quietly went towards their room. "Since when do you know Occulemency?" Harry asked Hermione.

"Aberforth has been teaching it to me since the beginning of summer," she said quietly. "Please don't be mad Harry; I just thought it was a good idea. I thought it was worth a try."

"I'm not mad at you Hermione," Harry said stopping in front of his door. "It should be easier since it's not Snape trying to get inside my head." They silently gave each other a smile. "Good night Hermione and they parted ways.

Harry was in the middle of a forest. A cool breeze swept in between the many trees surrounding him. He heard voices in the distance, and walked over to the source of the sounds. He peaked behind the tree, and his jaw dropped at the sight. People were dispersed motionless on the forest floor. Some Harry didn't know, some he did. He recognized Ron's lifeless body. Next to Ron was Ginny and Neville. A little ways off from them was Luna. Then Harry noticed his own dying self, crumpled up in the middle. Hermione was crawled up next to him. They unlike the rest were still alive. She was crying quietly and was cradling Harry with all the strength she could muster. They were whispering something to each other, but Harry was too far away to hear the words.

Then there were foot steps. A dark hooded figure appeared behind Hermione. Harry started to run towards Hermione and stopped several feet before her. "Hermione, look out!" he screamed. She did not look up. The masked man raised his wand, and a get of green light came racing towards Hermione. Instantly she dropped down flat on the ground. Harry watched his dying self move up slowly towards Hermione. Harry felt hot tears running down his cheeks.

"You see Potter," said the hooded man. "It's the one's you love that will suffer." The man started to walk closer. "And now, I will finish you." With a quick flick of the wand, another green beam shot right at Harry. A hot wave shot through Harry's body, and in an instant, he was awake in his bed.

He was breathing heavily. Big beads of sweat were running from his cheeks, and the bed sheets were stuck to his body. It had just been another nightmare. He looked at the clock and noticed that it was 2:46 A.M. A few minutes passed, and once he calmed himself down a bit, he decided to go get some water. He quietly crept to the kitchen. When he opened the door, he was surprised to find Aberforth sitting in a chair, drinking out of a cup.

"Couldn't sleep Potter?" Aberforth grunted.

"Yes," Harry said, deciding that there wasn't any point in lying. "I just came to get some water."

"Well," Aberforth said. "Now that you are up, and judging by your appearance I suspect you will be up for some time, why don't I show you something?"

"What do you need to show me?" Harry asked.

"I thought you might be interested in going—" Aberforth paused and examined the look of curiosity in Harry's face, "To Godric's Hollow."

AN: Finally, I finished another chapter. I just would like to say that I'm truly sorry that it took so long. It was amazing how much work I've been receiving this month. Hopefully I'll be able to start writing more frequently once October finishes. I would like to thank everyone for reading, and I would like to give an extra thanks to all those that reviewed. Those reviews truly make it easier to continue writing. Now to the chapter……..

Ch. 4 A Locket Destroyed

"Kreacher!" Harry screamed again, his anger finally starting to rise. "Come here! Where is he?"

"Maybe the house has a charm that won't let him in," Hermione said hopefully. "Please stop screaming Harry; you'll wake the others up." Harry looked at his watch to see what time it was, four in the morning. They had just gone to bed a couple hours ago, and Harry noticed that Hermione looked like she hadn't slept at all.

"Have you not slept at all?" Harry asked Hermione. Her cheeks turned a bit pink as she responded.

"No," she said shyly. "All I could think about was Regulus and the mysterious R.A.B. It took me awhile to find a book that proved I was right." Harry felt a sense of pride and loyalty as Hermione talked to him.

"Well," Harry said. "If he can't come to me, then I will go to him."

"Harry, you can't do that," Hermione said to him knowing that he would still go. "Fine, I'm going with you."

"I don't think so Hermione," Harry told her. "I'm not putting you in danger. I can't—"

"You don't decide what I can do," she replied to him, looking straight into his eyes. "I'm not going to let you go by yourself." Harry looked at her determined face and knew he had been beaten.

"Fine Hermione," he said to her. "We'll go, together. Go get changed and I'll meet you outside your door in ten minutes."

She hurried off to her room, and Harry quickly put on some jeans and a sweatshirt. Five minutes had passed by and an idea came to Harry. If he crept out of his room right now, Hermione would still be changing. He could leave her behind, and therefore save her. Heading out the door, he grabbed the knife, his wand, and the bag with his Invisibility Cloak. He quietly opened the door. To his disappointment, Hermione was standing there. 

There was worry in her face, yet she stared at Harry with confidence. "Planning on leaving without me?" Hermione asked Harry.

"Of course not," Harry lied to her. She was wearing jeans and a sweatshirt also, her wand in her hand.

"Well, shall we?" He said, nodding towards the hall. Together they silently walked to the entrance of the house. "We need to find a place where we can Disapparate. Do you know where everyone Apparates from?" he asked her. She looked at him thoughtfully, but didn't say anything. "Come on! Hermione that Horcrux might still be around. I need to destroy it."

"Follow me," she finally said. They walked through one of the other halls and then into a small candle lit room. "This is the only place you can Apparate or Disapparate. We'll have to come back here, before anyone else wakes up," she added. "Um, Harry, where are we going?"

"Grimmauld Place," Harry answered. "I have a feeling that's where we need to go."

"Ok," Hermione said.

"Alright," Harry said. Something occurred to Harry. "There might be a spell on the house that might not let you in." Hermione looked at him and moved close to him. She grabbed his arm with a tight grip.

"Then you'll have to guide me," she said to him. "I won't let you go alone."

"Ready?" Harry asked her. She moved even closer to him and gripped his arm so tightly that Harry couldn't feel his hand.

Harry cleared his mind, and thought about their destination. In seconds he felt the sensation of disapparating. Next thing he knew, he and Hermione were standing in front of Grimmauld Place.

Harry removed his numb arm away from Hermione, and grabbed her hand. Together they approached the door, and Harry turned the knob. The door creaked open. He looked at Hermione to see if she was ok, and she nodded back to him. Harry walked in, leading Hermione into the house.

"Lumos!" they both said together. They continued to walk through the hallway until they ended up by the familiar staircase. To their relief, the house seemed like it had been abandoned since the night of Sirius's death. Everything was covered in dust and cobwebs.

Harry let go of Hermione's hand and walked to the staircase. Tears started to dwell in his eyes. He was remembering seeing Sirius there, and it was coming back that he wouldn't be there anymore. Hermione walked towards him, and grabbed his hand again. She nodded towards the kitchen. Harry nodded back, and she led the way.

The kitchen was just as filthy as the rest of the house. The cabinets were empty, and the only thing that remained was the table and chairs. Hermione let go of Harry and walked towards the fireplace.

"I'm going to get a fire going," she said, breaking the silence.

"It's freezing in here, and we'll be able to see better." She crouched down, and in seconds Harry received the warmth from the fire. Harry sat down and Hermione walked over and sat next to him. He noticed a scratch on the table and ran his finger over it. It was the mark from the knife that Fred and George accidentally shot at Sirius. Again, hot tears began forming.

"Are you alright Harry?" Hermione asked, gently putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said quickly getting up. "Let's do what we came here for." He inhaled deeply and called, "Kreacher!" A small pop came behind Harry. He turned around and stared down at his house elf. He received an urge to straggle the elf, but something in his body resisted.

"Where have you been?" Harry yelled. "Why didn't you come to before?"

"I couldn't," Kreacher stated simply. "Something powerful wouldn't let me go into where master was. I was very excited."

"Enough," Harry said, barely containing his anger. "Tell me about Regulus Black. How did he die?"

"I will not spill his secrets!" Kreacher responding, holding his mouth shut with his hands. But he belonged to Harry, so eventually he started talking. "The great Dark Lord came and took him. I do not know why," he added looking quietly to the ground.

"Was there a locket?" Harry asked. "Kreacher, bring me the locket."

"No! I will not!" Kreacher shook his head violently. "I promised I would not let no one take it!"

"I am your master now!" Harry yelled. "You do as I say! Bring me the locket that Regulus Black stole from Voldemort. Bring me that one, and no other!" There was another pop, and Kreacher disappeared into thin air.

Harry turned back to Hermione, her eyes stared fixed on him, the flames from fire reflecting off them. Another small pop and Harry turned to see Kreacher who was clutching the locket closely. Harry extended his hand and said, "Give it to me." Kreacher started shaking and gave the locket to Harry. "You speak of this to no one," he advised Kreacher. With one nastier look, Kreacher disappeared.

Harry held the locket and looked closely at it. The locket was identical to the one that he and Dumbledore took from the cave. Harry ran his finger over the distinctive "S" engraved on it. He tried to open it, but couldn't. "This is it Hermione. I know it is." He laid the locket on the table and took out the knife. "For Dumbledore," he said and with all the anger he could muster, he jabbed the knife into the locket.

The locket split in the middle, still connected by the chain. He took out the knife, and pocketed the locket. "Let's go," he told Hermione. She nodded and they silently left towards the exit. Harry stopped in front of the staircase and took another look around. Then, they left outside. 

Once outside, Hermione grabbed his hand, and waited. Her hand felt really warm and it calmed Harry for some reason. In seconds, they where on their way back to Aberforth's.

They arrived in the same room, and Hermione guided him back to where there rooms were. It was nearly sunrise, but luckily no one was up yet. They stopped in front of the doors, and Hermione was the first to say something. "Are you alright Harry?"

Truthfully, Harry wasn't. His mind was filled with images of Dumbledore and Sirius. Both made his eyes burn. "Yea," he lied to her. "I'm just really tired." She looked at him, and walked over.

She gave him a hug and whispered, "It'll be okay Harry, I know it will." He held on to her, not really knowing why he didn't want to let her go. He felt so lost and alone that he couldn't let go. She let go of him and said, "Do you need me to go with you and be with you for awhile?"

He wanted to answer 'yes' but his reflex got the better of him. "No, it's okay, really. We both really just need some sleep." He could have sworn he saw her give a look of disappointment, but then again, he was very tired. "But maybe we could talk tomorrow, or I should say later?" She gave a weak smile, and they both returned to their rooms.

Harry went straight to his bed and dove into the covers without changing. He took off his glasses and rubbed his forehead. Four down, three more to go, he thought to himself. He closed his eyes a tried to go to sleep. He searched his head for a good memory to get his mind off Sirius and Dumbledore. He finally picked the thought of his first trip to Hogwarts, before Voldemort. Where his major problem was whether or not he would have friends, whether or not he would become a real wizard.

Harry stayed in his room the next day. He needed some alone time. Mrs. Weasley had gone in his room to see what was wrong, but he just said it was a stomach ache. His mind was full of memories. He felt alone and sad. It was around dinner time, and his stomach was grumbling. He headed off to the kitchen to try to get some food before everyone arrived. Right outside the kitchen, he was greeted by Aberforth.

"Tonight Potter," Aberforth growled. "Our first lesson; we will start once dinner is over." He led him to the table, and to Harry's dismay, some people were already there.

"How's your stomach dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked calmly. "I bet you are famished. I made this soup especially for you. I'm sure it will make you feel better," she added with a warm smile.

Harry sat down next to Aberforth, and Mrs. Weasley poured him a bowl of soup. Just then, Hermione walked in with Tonks.

Harry stared down at his plate, not wanting to look at Hermione. Surely she wanted to talk about the previous night, but he wasn't ready.

She went and sat down next to him. He could feel her staring at him. "How are you feeling?" she asked him.

"I feel better," he lied, still not looking directly at her. "This soup is making me feel better, thanks Mrs. Weasley," he added, trying to change the topic.

"I'm glad dear," Mrs. Weasley answered warmly. "Feel free to take as much as you want." More people came in. Ron took the seat across from Harry, and from what he could tell, Ron must have known about the previous night. Ron gave Harry a weak smile, and asked how he was feeling. Then he piled his plate high and started to eat. In between bites, Harry noticed that Ron and Hermione kept exchanging glances. Harry continued to eat until the others finished.

"Are you finished?" Aberforth asked.

"Yes," Harry answered back. They excused themselves from the table and got up. Ron and Hermione did the same.

Together, they followed Aberforth to one of the rooms of the house. It reminded Harry of the Room of Requirement. It was big, and filled with anything they might need.

"This is where we will meet every other night until summer ends," Aberforth said. "The Order had decided that in these times of danger, it is important for you three to know how to properly defend yourselves. This will include the killing curse." Harry heard Hermione inhale loudly. "Now I know that you three are very aware of how to defend yourselves, therefore, my main concern will be Avada Kedavra. Today however, I must see how far your limits are. We will start Avada Kedavra in our next lesson."

So class started. Aberforth conjured what looked like faceless dolls that could cast defending spells. Harry, Ron, and Hermione each demonstrated their fighting capabilities. Midnight came, and Aberforth conjured back the dummies.

"That's enough for tonight," Aberforth said. "We'll continue in two days."

"Good," said Ron. "I'm exhausted. I'll see you two tomorrow," and he quickly left the room.

"Before you go Potter," Aberforth said as Harry walked towards the door. "There is one more thing. The Order has asked of one more thing. They wish that you will learn Occulemency."

"How?" Harry interrupted. "Are you going to teach me?"

"Actually, I found someone better," Aberforth said. "I figured that it would be easier if it was someone you trust. So, you and Hermione will have lessons on Tuesday and Thursday." Harry turned around and looked at Hermione. She gave a small smile and then looked down. "You two best be off to bed, Molly would be furious if she knew you were still up."

They left and quietly went towards their room. "Since when do you know Occulemency?" Harry asked Hermione.

"Aberforth has been teaching it to me since the beginning of summer," she said quietly. "Please don't be mad Harry; I just thought it was a good idea. I thought it was worth a try."

"I'm not mad at you Hermione," Harry said stopping in front of his door. "It should be easier since it's not Snape trying to get inside my head." They silently gave each other a smile. "Good night Hermione," and they parted ways.

Harry was in the middle of a forest. A cool breeze swept in between the many trees surrounding him. He heard voices in the distance, and walked over to the source of the sounds. He peaked behind the tree, and his jaw dropped at the sight.

People were dispersed motionless on the forest floor. Some Harry didn't know, some he did. He recognized Ron's lifeless body. Next to Ron was Ginny and Neville. A little ways off from them was Luna. Then Harry noticed his own dying self, crumpled up in the middle. Hermione was crawled up next to him. They unlike the rest were still alive.

She was crying quietly and was cradling Harry with all the strength she could muster. They were whispering something to each other, but Harry was too far away to hear the words.

Then there were foot steps. A dark hooded figure appeared behind Hermione. Harry started to run towards Hermione and stopped several feet before her. "Hermione, look out!" he screamed. She did not look up. The masked man raised his wand, and a get of green light came racing towards Hermione. Instantly she dropped down flat on the ground. Harry watched his dying self move up slowly towards Hermione. Harry felt hot tears running down his cheeks.

"You see Potter," said the hooded man. "It's the one's you love that will suffer." The man started to walk closer. "And now, I will finish you." With a quick flick of the wand, another green beam shot right at Harry. A hot wave shot through Harry's body, and in an instant, he was awake in his bed.

He was breathing heavily. Big beads of sweat were running from his cheeks, and the bed sheets were stuck to his body. It had just been another nightmare. He looked at the clock and noticed that it was 2:46 A.M. A few minutes passed, and once he calmed himself down a bit, he decided to go get some water.

He quietly crept to the kitchen. When he opened the door, he was surprised to find Aberforth sitting in a chair, drinking out of a cup.

"Couldn't sleep Potter?" Aberforth grunted.

"Yes," Harry said, deciding that there wasn't any point in lying. "I just came to get some water."

"Well," Aberforth said. "Now that you are up, and judging by your appearance I suspect you will be up for some time, why don't I show you something?"

"What do you need to show me?" Harry asked.

"I thought you might be interested in going—" Aberforth paused and examined the look of curiosity in Harry's face, "To Godric's Hollow."

AN: I must admit, this is not my favorite chapter. But, I needed this in order to continue the story in a good pace. To me this is more of a transitional chapter, and the next will contain more action and cliffys. Please review and tell me what you think!


	5. Ch 5 A Trip to the Hollow

AN: I know I know….finally, another chapter…it's just been what?...a couple of months! I know and I apologize. Senior year turned out to be very busy. I figured that it's time to finish what I started a year ago. Now I'm not promising a chapter every week, but I will try my hardest. Have fun, thanks for your patience, and as always, tell me what you think!

Ch. 5 A Trip to the Hollow

Harry's heart beat faster every second as he quickly changed clothes. He was finally going back to Godric's Hollow. Once clothed, he quietly left his room. In seconds, he arrived to the Disapparating Room.

"Curious," Aberforth began. "I don't seem to remember telling you where we would be Disapparating from." Harry's heart rose to his throat. A small crooked smile appeared on Aberforth's face, showing his yellow teeth. "Ready Potter?"

"I've been ready for the last six years," Harry responded.

"Well, then take my arm and we'll be off our way." Harry walked forward and grabbed a hold of Aberforth's arm. In seconds, he felt the rush of Disapparating.

Finally, he felt the hard ground under his feet. He opened his eyes to see the remains but was shocked to find that they were standing at a bottom of a hill surrounded by a forest. A single dusty road led up the hill.

"Up this hill you will find what you're looking for," Aberforth said. "If you want to go ahead and lead, I will follow right behind you."

Harry quickly started the following the road. With each step, his heart quickened pace until finally, he was staring at his old house.

It was a two-story house. All the windows were broken, but the door was closed shut. The house radiated the feeling of seclusion and mystery. Most of the shutters (the ones visible) were hanging loosely on the hinges. The house had a layer of dirt covering it, and the roof had missing shingles. Harry lit his wand and took a deep breath. He walked through the door and pushed it open. With the light of his wand leading the way, he entered.

Everything was covered with dust. Harry had the impression that the house had remained untouched ever since the night of his parent's murders. He walked from room to room, moving the light so he could see every inch of the house. In the living room, stood a great fire place surrounded by bookshelves. Each shelf was filled with books on every subject imaginable. Not even Hermione could ever get through all the books. The kitchen was towards the back of the house. A kettle remained on top of the stove. Harry next headed upstairs. The first door led to his parents' room.

He walked towards the dresser and picked up what must have been his mother's brush. Next to the brush was a rusty wallet which must have been his fathers. Pinned on the mirror, a moth-eaten picture laid. As Harry examined the picture, he could tell that under the layer of dust, his mom and dad were celebrating what seemed to be some type of birthday party. After putting the picture in his pocket, he walked away finally feeling his eyes watering. He continued walking around the room. There were plaques and frames hanging crookedly from the walls. Following the wall, he led himself out of the room. Then his eyes fell upon a half-opened door.

He opened the door and found his old room staring back at him. This is where his mother had died; this is where Voldemort had fallen. He walked over to a rocker and sat down as he stared at his room. Hours passed by as feelings of hatred and sadness crept over him while his scar began to tingle. Finally, rays of light began showing through the window.

"Perhaps we should go Harry," Aberforth said quietly by the door. Harry nodded and followed Aberforth to the front door. Before descending the hill, Harry paused and looked back at the house. Then he continued down the hill, quickly running to catch up with Aberforth.

Lunch came too early for Harry. All he had managed to do was lay in bed for the past five hours. His body ached from head to foot, and his head seemed to weigh ten times its normal weight. That did not matter. He couldn't fall asleep. His thoughts were interrupted by a large rumbling in his stomach. Slowly he got up and took a long hot shower until his skin started to turn red. After getting dressed, he went downstairs to a full table of chattering people.

"Good afternoon dear," Mrs. Weasley said getting up from the table. "Someone looks sleepy today. Come and have a seat darling." She piled his plate full of sandwiches and chips as he sat down. He quickly started to eat as he tried avoiding everyone's conversations.

"Harry, you alright mate?" Ron asked. "You look miserable."

"Ron!" Hermione scold at him.

"Well it's true," Ron answered back. "I was mentioning to Hermione that we should take a break today. You know, go play some Wizard Chess to relax a bit." Harry nodded in agreement. "After all, you need to relax for your Occulemency lesson with Hermione tonight." Harry nearly choked on his sandwich. He had forgotten his lessons with Hermione.

They finished eating and went outside to play chess. The day was beautiful. Sun was shining, and the breeze was soothing. Harry spent the afternoon with Ron talking about all sorts of things that ranged from Quidditch to why the sky is blue and not green.

"Harry," Ron began, "there's something I want to talk to you about." His voice sounded a bit nervous. Ron was never good at serious conversations. "Now I'm going to tell you this because I'm your best mate, and I don't like to see you miserable."

"Ok," was all Harry could utter.

"I see you moping around here Harry," Ron started. "I know that with the current circumstances it's hard to be joyous constantly, but you at least need to try and have some happiness. So…I think that you need to be with Ginny again." Harry was startled at what Ron was saying. Out of all the possible things Ron could have said, this was definitely out of nowhere. "I see the way you look at her. I know you still like her. All she wants to do is help Harry. You don't have to shut her out completely. Now I understand that you are a bit worried--"

"You have no idea what you are talking about Ron, "Harry interrupted. "I left Ginny for a reason. She is in enough danger as it is."

"I know Harry, but she—" Ron said.

"She can't be with me," Harry finished the sentence. "You don't know how much I have to worry about without her with me. Plus, I don't like her like that," he finished saying, not feeling like it was completely true. He did miss the feeling of being wanted.

"Where's Hermione at?" Ron asked hastily changing the subject. Harry looked around. He had thought Hermione was reading a book.

"I don't know," he said. "Maybe she went in for something to drink."

"Yeah," Ron said unconvinced. "Or maybe she's writing a letter to "our friend" Victor," he added scornfully.

"Still on that are you?" Harry asked. "They are just friends Ron. Why do you hate him so much?"

"I don't hate him," Ron said, his anger rising. "I think he's just, um, he's just…"

"I'm sure she's just getting something to drink," Harry said. They continued playing and talking until it was too dark to see. They headed inside and they sat down for dinner. Harry was ready for a good meal and then some sleep. Just then, Fred and George came in and sat down next to Harry. The twins greeted them and they started talking about the joke shop while the food finished cooking.

"So are you ready for Hermione to get inside your mind Harry?" Fred asked. "Dad told us she will be teaching Occulemency to you. I don't think I could have someone snoop around my head."

"It's just Hermione," Ron said.

"Still," George interjected. "Aren't you scared that she is going to know "all your secrets?"" he added trying to hold back laughter. "Let's all just hope that you aren't keeping anything big away from her." The twins and Ron all laughed. Harry pretended that it was funny. Eventually everyone came in and joined them. Hermione came in and sat next to Ron. Fred and George caught Harry's eye and winked at him.

After painfully swallowing some food, Harry got up and went to his room. He went and lied down on his bed. His eyes instantly closed as he felt the soft covers. Someone in the distant was calling his name. "Harry wake up," Hermione's voice rang in his head. He opened his eyes to find Hermione sitting next to him. He fumbled out of bed. "Are you ready?" she asked calmly.

"Yes," Harry quickly answered. Deep down he felt his insides churn. He was not ready.

She led the way towards the room that had been having their lessons with Aberforth. The room was dimly lit with a sense of warmth and serenity to it.

"I tried making the room as comfortable and serene as possible," Hermione said seeing Harry's reaction. "It should help calm you down and clear your thoughts. Just don't get too comfortable and fall asleep on me," she added with a chuckle.

"I don't think you need to worry about that," Harry said back. It seemed impossible to calm his nerves at this point- even with the soothing aroma.

"Occulemency is just another subject Harry," Hermione began. "At the beginning, it's hard. As you continue through it, the easier it is to block," she added sounding in a matter-of-fact way. It seemed that every word she said made his heart beat faster.

"It's not that easy Hermione," he said looking at her deeply. "How can I clear my head? It was hard enough a couple of months ago. This seems like a lost cause."

"Remember your first year at Hogwarts?" Hermione asked him as she moved closer to him. "Remember how impossible it seemed to perform magic? It was hard to levitate a feather!" She said as she smiled at him. "And look at you now. If someone asks you to levitate a feather you don't answer with 'I can't'. You answer with 'stop wasting my time." He cracked a smile and his heartbeat became regular. "So shall we begin?" With a smiling nod they stood opposite each other.

"Clear your mind Harry," she said calmly. He inhaled deeply and took one last look at Hermione. "When I begin," she said to him, "you block with all your might. If you have to, use your wand. Just don't hex me to harshly," she said.

He closed his mind and tried to clear his thoughts. Everything seemed to be fading in and out—the noises, the temperature. Then a sudden thought popped in his mind. A hill crept in his mind as the noises in the room came back.

"_Legilimens!"_ he heard Hermione say. Suddenly a hill and a house became vivid. A brush flashed quickly following a wallet and a picture. "_I cannot let her see,"_ he thought to himself. His mind was spinning like a movie on fast forward. Next thing he knew, his eyes were opened. Hermione was on the floor rubbing her backside.

"I'm so sorry Hermione," Harry said as he ran towards her. "I told you this is useless. We should just go." She held onto his arms as he hoisted her up.

"We are not going anywhere until you get this right," she said to him sternly. "This isn't a lost cause. I actually think that it was a good first try," she added reassuringly. "We each just need to learn from our mistakes. For example, I just learned that I need a softer landing," she said. With a flick of her wand pillows flew from across the room and landed behind her making a large blanket of pillows. "Now what did you learn from your mistake?"

"I need to clear my mind," he said feeling shameful and embarrassed.

They lined up again. Harry closed his eyes and again tried clearing his mind. This time, all he could think of is how Hermione is about to see everything because he can't get it out of his head. After another distant _Legilimens_, he found himself running across the room towards a fallen Hermione. When he went to help her, she grabbed his hand and pulled him down next to her.

"I can't do this Hermione," he said to her. "My mind keeps racing with images. How can I clear my mind when I know someone is about to get into it?" he added with frustration. "I don't think anyone expects me to be able to do it. Snape and Voldemort probably had a good laugh about it." He paused as he thought of Snape and Voldemort having a cup of tea as they laugh at him.

"There's your problem Harry," Hermione said quietly. "You need to stop thinking of all these things. You need to push all those things deep inside you. That is the only way you will be able to clear your mind," she added looking deep into his eyes. "You're not alone Harry," she finally said to him. "I had the same problem when Aberforth was teaching me."

"What did you do about it?" he asked her.

"He told me that the only way to protect those that I love is to not think about them," she said as her eyes began to water. "Every feeling and thought had to vanish—no matter how much it hurt. We ended up talking for awhile about what I was thinking about," she said to him. "Once my feelings were out, the less I worried about them and the easier it became to clear my head."

"I bet that was hard to do," Harry said to her. It occurred to him that Hermione never really talked to him about how she was feeling, except on his birthday. "I'm assuming you trust Aberforth deeply now," he said to her. She nodded and gave a weak smile.

"Let's just say he's very understanding," she said. "Just like his brother." There was a quick paused before she continued, "Is there anything you want to talk about?" He took a second to think. He didn't need to talk because everything that Hermione said made sense. The only way to protect the ones he loves is be getting them out of his head

"No," he answered back. He noticed that she looked a bit shocked at his answer, and with a sad expression on her face, she made an effort to get up. He grabbed her hand and sat her back down. "I trust you more than anyone I know," he said to her. The candles reflected off of her eyes as he stared deep into them. "You don't need to be in my head to notice when something is going on," he said with a smile. "You are right Hermione. The only way to protect you, is to get you out of my head," he said as he got up. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed her smile.

They lined up once again. He thought of an open space—a field. He was by himself as the breeze swept through his hair. No sign of his friends. No nightmares and no houses were in sight. He opened his eyes and stared directly at Hermione. Their eyes met. Quickly Hermione's body was replaced by a tall, black haired and greasy man. Harry was back in the open room, with Snape staring at him. All he could think of was his satisfaction of being able to block Snape.

"_Legilimens!_" Snape said loudly in Hermione's voice. Harry felt like he had been hit with a bat, but he stayed staring at Snape. Nothing crossed his mind. Nothing was in his mind now except for defeating Snape. He could feel the distant force trying to get into his mind, but he didn't let it. He finally cleared his mind.

Then suddenly he found himself in a different room. Hermione was sitting on the couch in her room. She was crying. Ron came storming into the room and threw a stack of letters on her lap. He was yelling, yet everything was mute. Everything was happening in fast motion and in broken clips. Harry started to walk towards them when suddenly he was thrown backwards. He opened his eyes to find Hermione running towards him with a huge smile on her face.

"You did it Harry!" she said as she tackled him with a hug.

"Why am I on the floor?" he asked foolishly not realizing what had just happened.

"Oh," Hermione said sounding a bit embarrassed. "You blocked me extremely well, but then you started coming into my thoughts. I wasn't expecting that so I reacted instinctively. I'm sorry," she added as her cheeks flushed. He couldn't help but give a huge smile. He started laughing uncontrollably.

"I did it Hermione!" he said as he grabbed her and hugged her. "That was unbelievable! I felt absolutely nothing and it was great!" She smiled back and together the laughed until their cheeks hurt.

"I guess the lesson's over for today," Hermione finally said ending the laughter. "We'll try again in two days," and with one hand on her shoulders, Harry led the way back to their rooms. He couldn't help think about one thing. He was in Hermione's memory which meant that the fight with Ron had occurred or at least, she was thinking of it in some way. They arrived at their bedrooms quietly smirking at each other.

"Hermione," Harry said whispering to her.

"Yes Harry," she responded.

"You tell me things right?" he asked her. He noticed that it sounded better in his head. Her face changed and she nodded.

"There are certain things that I choose not to tell you in order to make things better for you, not because I don't trust you," she said to him. "There are enough worries in your head already. You need to trust me and my decisions on what and when I tell you things."

"Well," Harry began. "I just…I just," he stumbled on his thoughts; "I just want you to know that I'm here for you. I don't ever want you to feel alone just because you don't want to "make more worries" for me."

"I know," was how she responded. "And you Harry. Do you not tell me things so I won't worry?" she asked. He smiled at her. "I thought so," she said with a smirk. He saw her give a quick glance at Ron's door. She then came to him and gave him a tight hug. As she opened her door, Harry couldn't resist the temptation any longer.

"So Ron huh?" was all he could say. She stopped and turned to look at him.

"So Godric's Hollow huh?" she answered back. With a final tired look, she stepped into her room and closed the door.


End file.
